The cult of self-esteem

If you do a quick Internet search, you will find a thousand and one ways to boost your self-esteem. This is because there is an understanding today that most people’s problems are due to low self-esteem.

For this reason, we have seen the world create a cult around promoting what people think and feel about themselves. The problem is that this has been done in a way where “feeling good” became the excuse for many things, such as addictive consumption, expensive leisure, endless aesthetic treatments, plastic surgeries, endless entertainment, jumping from one relationship and to another, demanding to be treated like this or that…

Even insulting other people for the sake of feeling good about yourself is considered acceptable, because, after all, if it makes you happy, then that’s all that matters!

So, the self-esteem market works to boost its amount of followers, but mainly it boosts business. The same products that are advertised as promoters of happiness have no permanent power of satisfaction, causing a vicious cycle of consumption.

Nowadays, people spend exorbitant amounts of money to acquire things, but they only feel good for a short period, and then they need something else. There are people who no longer know what else to do to feel good, because they’ve tried everything this world has to offer, yet nothing has had an everlasting effect of satisfaction.

However, I want to say that this self-esteem that depends on things and people is misleading and vulnerable because it leaves the person at the mercy of others. After all, who hasn’t heard someone say they were feeling bad because they were ignored or forgotten by a friend? How can your physical, emotional and spiritual state depend on the will of others?

When we are born of God, we don’t have a problem with self-esteem, because the Holy Spirit transforms our identity and our worth. So, we don’t remain wavering- one day we’re well and the next day we’re not. We are not hurt by how others treat us, or become proud when we’ve accomplished something.

When you are a child of God, you remain unwavering, which also brings an unparalleled satisfaction within. When we receive honor, we say, “Amen!” When we are despised, we also say, “Amen!” This is because our value does not come from what others do or think about us.

We need to reach a maturity where we don’t delegate the power to make us feel good or bad to anyone. After all, no one is obligated to raise my self-esteem. Not my spouse, pastor, friend or boss. Everyone has to have their own sense of self-worth; this way, no matter what they do or don’t do, we will continue to be who we are.

Paul understood this matter very well, that’s why he said he didn’t care about what people thought of him. In fact, the apostle said he didn’t even care about what he thought or felt about himself. What great faith!

It’s not what I feel that counts, but who I am to God. This is why no one and nothing has the power to take away my happiness.

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 1 Corinthians 4.3

With this in mind, are you still worried about “feeling good”?